Sammy Hagar Says He Sees a ‘Tinge of Jealousy’ in David Lee Roth Trash Talking Wolfgang Van Halen

Sammy Hagar is not taking David Lee Roth’s mean comments about the late Eddie Van Halen’s son, Wolfgang Van Halen, lightly.

Speaking with PEOPLE on Saturday ahead of MusiCares’ Person of the Year ceremony and Jon Bon Jovi tribute concert at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Hagar, 76, shared his reaction to recent critical comments Roth, 69, made about the 32-year-old bassist. , who played with his father in Van Halen from the age of 15 in 2006 until 2020.

According to members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Roth’s negativity toward Wolfgang, which he expressed in a viral YouTube video, boils down to “jealousy.”

Wolfgang Van Halen and Sammy Hagar at the 2024 MusiCares Person of the Year Event.

Gilbert Flores/Billboard via Getty Images; Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

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“Look, if you really think about what he said, like do I sense a little jealousy in that or something?” Hagar, who was among the performers at Saturday’s MusiCares event, says.

“Does he feel like he’s been left out or something?” adds the hard rock legend

“I mean, honestly, the only thing I can say without being cruel is that he needs to find a new clinic,” he says jokingly. “That one doesn’t work for him.”

Roth initially expressed his disdain for the bassist and only son of Eddie and actress Valerie Bertinelli in a video source posted on social media in late January. The video shows the former Van Halen singer mocking Wolfgang’s skill and how he benefited from nepotism.

Wolfgang Van Halen performs at the 2024 MusiCares Person of the Year event.

Amy Sussman/Getty Images

In the YouTube clip, Roth also states that Wolfgang claimed that the singer was not paying attention to him on stage while they were on tour together and that he once kicked out a woman – who he thought was Roth’s girlfriend but was actually the accountant in charge of their tour payroll — at one of their shows.

“This F—in’ Kid,” he captioned the video on Instagram.

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Wolfgang, who also performs as Mammoth WVH, played in the Van Halen lineup with Roth when he rejoined the iconic group in 2007 until they disbanded following the lead guitarist’s death at the age of 65 in 2020 following a years-long battle with cancer.

Sammy Hagar and Eddie Van Halen in 1994.

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

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While Hagar left the band “Jump” before the young rocker became a member, the two have stayed in touch over the years, and he told PEOPLE he’s excited to connect with him and see him perform at Saturday’s MusiCares event. (Mammoth WVH was also on the lineup, along with Bruce Springsteen, Shania Twain, Melissa Etheridge, Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll, and more.)

This summer, the “I Can’t Drive 55” singer will hit the road with fellow ex-Van Halen member Michael Anthony, guitarist Joe Satriani and drummer Jason Bonham on a tour that consists mostly of Van Halen music.

Eddie Van Halen and Sammy Hagar perform with Van Halen in 2004.

Bill Tompkins/Getty Images

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Shortly after the tour was announced late last year, Wolfgang said in an interview with iHeartRadio station Q104.3 that he approves of the tribute concert. He said, “Yeah, that’s great, man. I’m thrilled about that.”

Hagar also spoke of feeling grateful that he was able to mend his relationship with Eddie before he died.

“Well, being able to talk to Eddie and have a wonderful relationship with him on the lyrics means everything to me,” the rocker told Fox News in a May 2023 interview. “If he had died and we would never have said ‘ I love you,’ I would feel really bad. I probably wouldn’t be able to talk… I wouldn’t be able to talk to you about it.”

Despite their relationship being troubled for a while when Hagar left the band, he added that it “means a lot” to him that he can now “feel good about being in Van Halen.”

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Source: HIS Education